1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an Internet facsimile apparatus for performing transmission and reception by a facsimile via a telephone network and also transmitting and receiving an image by Internet facsimile via the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, it has become possible to perform transmission and reception by a G3 facsimile via a telephone network and also transmit and receive a message with an image file by using an Internet facsimile (to be also referred to as Internet FAX hereinafter) system requiring no communication charge by connecting to a LAN.
Unfortunately, the conventional system has its limits, e.g., (1) whether a communication partner has an Internet FAX function cannot be known during G3 facsimile communication, and (2) the Internet address of a communication partner cannot be known during G3 facsimile communication. For example, even when a communication partner has the Internet FAX function, the system cannot switch from a G3 facsimile mode to an Internet FAX mode requiring no communication charge by connecting to a LAN. Also, the modes can be switched only when an operator designates mode switching and sets an Internet address.
The present invention has been made to solve the above conventional problems, and has as its object to provide an Internet FAX apparatus having a G3 facsimile function and an Internet FAX function and capable of (1) detecting in a G3 facsimile mode whether a communication partner has the Internet FAX function and (2) exchanging Internet addresses with a communication partner in the G3 facsimile mode and, after receiving the Internet address, communicating with the same destination by connecting to a LAN and switching to an Internet FAX mode requiring no communication charge in the middle of communication or in later transmission to the destination.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an Internet FAX apparatus having a G3 facsimile function and an Internet FAX function and capable of receiving an Internet address in a G3 facsimile mode and managing the received Internet address.
To achieve the above objects, an Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of each transmission destination, first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, Internet function informing means for transmitting an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile reception, and Internet function detecting means for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, the first transmitting/receiving means communicates with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data.
An Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of each transmission destination, first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, Internet function detecting means for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, the first transmitting/receiving means communicates with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data.
An Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, and Internet function informing means for transmitting an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile reception.
The Internet function informing means or the Internet function detecting means transmits or receives the Internet facsimile function and Internet address by using a predetermined signal in a standard protocol of ordinary facsimile transmission by the second transmitting/receiving means. The ordinary facsimile is a G3 facsimile, and the Internet function informing means or the Internet function detecting means transmits the Internet facsimile function and Internet address by using an NSF signal in the standard protocol. The destination data contains at least presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function and an Internet address of a corresponding one-touch dial. The first transmitting/receiving means comprises means for transmitting e-mail, means for attaching an image file to e-mail, means for receiving e-mail, means for extracting an attached file from e-mail, means for checking whether the attached file is an image file, and means for performing Internet facsimile reception if the attached file is found to be an image file. The Internet address is an e-mail address.
An Internet address informing method using an Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is an Internet address informing method using an Internet facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function and an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, characterized in that an Internet facsimile apparatus on a receiving side transmits an Internet facsimile function and Internet address thereof on a predetermined signal in a standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, and an Internet facsimile apparatus on a transmitting side detects and registers the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side, carried on the predetermined signal in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, as destination data, and, when transmission is to be performed for the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side thereafter, communicates with the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side by using the Internet address in the destination data.
The ordinary facsimile communication is G3 facsimile communication, and the predetermined signal is an NSF signal and carries the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side. The Internet facsimile function is stored in a fourth octet of the NSF signal and transmitted, and the Internet address is stored in fifth to twenty-fifth octets of the NSF signal and transmitted. The fourth octet of the NSF signal is not 0 when the Internet facsimile function is present, and is 0 when the Internet facsimile function is not present.
A storage medium of the present invention is a storage medium for storing, in a computer readable form, a control program containing an Internet address informing program in an Internet facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function and an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, characterized in that the informing program comprises a transmission module for transmitting an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on a predetermined signal in a standard protocol during ordinary facsimile reception, a registration module for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus, carried on the predetermined signal in the standard protocol, as destination data during ordinary facsimile reception, and a communication module for communicating with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the registration. The storage medium further contains registered destination data.
To achieve the above objects, an Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least a telephone number, presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of each transmission destination, first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, first Internet function informing means for transmitting an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission, and first Internet function detecting means for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of a partner apparatus in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile reception, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, the first transmitting/receiving means communicates with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data.
The Internet facsimile apparatus is characterized by further comprising second Internet function informing means for transmitting the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile reception, and second Internet function detecting means for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission.
An Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least a telephone number, presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of each transmission destination, first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second Internet function detecting means for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission, and first Internet function informing means for transmitting an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, the first transmitting/receiving means communicates with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data.
An Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least a telephone number, presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of each transmission destination, first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, and first Internet function detecting means for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of a partner apparatus in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile reception, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, the first transmitting/receiving means communicates with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data.
The Internet facsimile apparatus is characterized by further comprising second Internet function informing means for transmitting an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile reception.
The first Internet function detecting means retrieves destination data from the detected telephone number and registers the Internet facsimile function and Internet address in the retrieved destination data. The first Internet function informing means or the Internet function detecting means transmits or receives the telephone number, Internet facsimile function, and Internet address by using a predetermined signal in a standard protocol of ordinary facsimile transmission by the second transmitting/receiving means. The ordinary facsimile is a G3 facsimile, and the first Internet function informing means or the first Internet function detecting means transmits the Internet facsimile function and Internet address by using an NSS signal in the standard protocol. The Internet facsimile function is stored in a fourth octet of the NSS signal and transmitted, and the Internet address is stored in fifth to twenty-fifth octets of the NSS signal and transmitted. The fourth octet of the NSS signal is not 0 when the Internet facsimile function is present, and is 0 when the Internet facsimile function is not present. The ordinary facsimile is a G3 facsimile, and the first Internet function informing means or the first Internet function detecting means transmits the telephone number by using a TSI signal in the standard protocol. The first Internet function detecting means detects a telephone number from a telephone number information service signal from a switching unit. The ordinary facsimile is a G3 facsimile, and the second Internet function informing means or the second Internet function detecting means transmits the Internet facsimile function and Internet address by using an NSF signal in the standard protocol. The destination data contains at least presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function and an Internet address of a corresponding one-touch dial. The first transmitting/receiving means comprises means for transmitting e-mail, means for attaching an image file to e-mail, means for receiving e-mail, means for extracting an attached file from e-mail, means for checking whether the attached file is an image file, and means for performing Internet facsimile reception if the attached file is found to be an image file. The Internet address is an e-mail address.
An Internet address informing method using an Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is an Internet address informing method using an Internet facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function and an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, characterized in that an Internet facsimile apparatus on a transmitting side transmits an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address thereof on first and second signals in a standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, and an Internet facsimile apparatus on a receiving side detects and registers the telephone number, Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side, carried on the first and second signals in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, as destination data, and, when transmission is to be performed for the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side thereafter, communicates with the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side by using the Internet address in the destination data.
The ordinary facsimile communication is G3 facsimile communication, the first signal is a TSI signal and carries the telephone number of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side, and the second signal is an NSS signal and carries the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side. The Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side transmits the Internet facsimile function and Internet address thereof on a third signal in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, and the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side detects and registers the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side, carried on the third signal in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, as destination data, and, when transmission is to be performed for the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side thereafter, communicates with the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side by using the Internet address in the destination data. The standard facsimile communication is G3 facsimile communication, and the third signal is an NSF signal and carries the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side. The Internet facsimile function is stored in a fourth octet of the NSS or NSF signal and transmitted, and the Internet address is stored in fifth to twenty-fifth octets of the NSS or NSF signal and transmitted. The fourth octet of the NSS or NSF signal is not 0 when the Internet facsimile function is present, and is 0 when the Internet facsimile function is not present.
A storage medium of the present invention is a storage medium for storing, in a computer readable form, a control program containing an Internet address informing program in an Internet facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function and an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, characterized in that the informing program comprises a first transmission module for transmitting an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on first and second signals in a standard protocol during ordinary facsimile reception, a first registration module for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function, and Internet address of a partner apparatus, carried on the first and second signals in the standard protocol, as destination data during ordinary facsimile reception, and a communication module for communicating with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the registration.
The informing program further comprises a second transmission module for transmitting an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on a third signal in the standard protocol during ordinary facsimile reception, and a second registration module for detecting and registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus, carried on the third signal in the standard protocol, as destination data during ordinary facsimile transmission. The storage medium further contains registered destination data.
To achieve the above objects, an Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function, second transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving an image by an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, determining means for determining whether a partner apparatus has an Internet facsimile function while the second transmitting/receiving means is performing ordinary facsimile transmission, and mode switching means for disconnecting ordinary facsimile mode communication and switching to an Internet facsimile mode if the partner apparatus is found to have the Internet facsimile function.
The determining means comprises means for determining whether the partner apparatus has the Internet facsimile function in accordance with a predetermined signal in a standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication by the second transmitting/receiving means, and means for obtaining an Internet address of the partner apparatus from the predetermined signal. The ordinary facsimile is a G3 facsimile, and, when the Internet facsimile apparatus is a transmitter, the predetermined signal is an NSF signal in the standard protocol, information indicating whether the Internet facsimile function is present is stored in a fourth octet of the NSF signal and transmitted, and the Internet address is stored in fifth to twenty-fifth octets of the NSF signal and transmitted. The ordinary facsimile is a G3 facsimile, and, when the Internet facsimile apparatus is a receiver, the predetermined signal is an NSS signal in the standard protocol, information indicating whether the Internet facsimile function is present is stored in a fourth octet of the NSS signal and transmitted, and the Internet address is stored in fifth to twenty-fifth octets of the NSS signal and transmitted. The fourth octet of the NSF or NSS signal is not 0 when the Internet facsimile function is present, and is 0 when the Internet facsimile function is not present. When the Internet facsimile apparatus is a transmitter and the NSF signal indicates that a receiver has the Internet facsimile function, the mode switching means informs the receiver that the transmitter has the Internet facsimile function by using the NSS signal, waits for CFR, disconnects a line after sending DCN, and starts image transmission by an Internet facsimile. When the Internet facsimile apparatus is a receiver and the NSS signal indicates that a transmitter has the Internet facsimile function, the mode switching means sends CFR, disconnects a line after receiving DCN, and starts image transmission by an Internet facsimile.
The Internet facsimile apparatus further comprises destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function and an Internet address of each transmission destination, and first Internet address registering means for registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus, detected from the NSF signal during the G3 facsimile transmission, in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, communication is performed by using the Internet address in the destination data. The Internet facsimile apparatus further comprises destination data storage means for storing destination data containing at least presence/absence of an Internet facsimile function and an Internet address of each transmission destination, and second Internet address registering means for registering an Internet facsimile function and Internet address of a partner apparatus, detected from the NSS signal during the G3 facsimile transmission, in corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, wherein when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the partner apparatus are registered in the corresponding destination data in the destination data storage means, communication is performed by using the Internet address in the destination data. The first transmitting/receiving means comprises means for transmitting e-mail, means for attaching an image file to e-mail, means for receiving e-mail, means for extracting an attached file from e-mail, means for checking whether the attached file is an image file, and means for performing Internet facsimile reception if the attached file is found to be an image file. The Internet address is an e-mail address.
An Internet facsimile communication control method using an Internet facsimile apparatus of the present invention is an Internet facsimile communication control method using an Internet facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function and an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, characterized in that an Internet facsimile apparatus on a receiving side transmits an Internet facsimile function and Internet address thereof on a first signal in a standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, an Internet facsimile apparatus on a transmitting side detects the Internet facsimile function and Internet address of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side, carried on the first signal in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, and transmits at least an Internet facsimile function thereof on a second signal in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side detects the Internet facsimile function of the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side, carried on the second signal in the standard protocol of ordinary facsimile communication, and requests the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side to disconnect a line, and the Internet facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side disconnects the line and transmits an image to the Internet facsimile apparatus on the receiving side by an Internet facsimile.
The ordinary facsimile communication is G3 facsimile communication, the first signal is an NSF signal, and the second signal is an NSS signal. The Internet facsimile function is stored in a fourth octet of the NSS or NSF signal and transmitted, and the Internet address is stored in fifth to twenty-fifth octets of the NSS or NSF signal and transmitted. The fourth octet of the NSS or NSF signal is not 0 when the Internet facsimile function is present, and is 0 when the Internet facsimile function is not present.
A storage medium of the present invention is a storage medium for storing a control program for Internet facsimile communication in a computer readable form in an Internet facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image by an Internet facsimile transmitting/receiving function and an ordinary facsimile transmitting/receiving function, characterized in that the control program comprises a determination module for determining during ordinary facsimile transmission whether a partner apparatus has an Internet facsimile function, and a mode switching module for disconnecting ordinary facsimile mode communication and switching to an Internet facsimile mode if the partner apparatus is found to have the Internet facsimile function. The storage medium further comprises a registration module for detecting and registering an Internet address of the partner apparatus if the partner apparatus is found to have the Internet facsimile function, and a communication module for communicating with the partner apparatus by using the Internet address in the destination data when transmission is to be performed for the partner apparatus after the registration. The storage medium further contains registered destination data.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.